Recommended Best Coffee Houses in Auckland

Best Coffee Houses in Auckland

The Conde Nast Traveller doesn't dub Auckland as one of 'the best places in the world to drink coffee' for nothing. The coffee in Auckland is pretty spot on and it's difficult to find a straight-up bad cuppa even in the most run-of-the-mill coffee places, but certain coffee houses and cafes in Auckland bring the coffee bean geekery up to a whole new level. The creation of a perfectly steamed and extracted flat white or short black is rightfully regarded as an art in New Zealand, so it's only natural for us to honour the best coffees in Auckland with the tribute to those who are constantly improving the coffees in our City of Sails, one cup at a time. Join us in doing so and scroll down for ViewAuckland.co.nz's list of recommended coffee houses in Auckland.

Altezano Espresso Bar had grown by leaps and bounds since its earlier days, but still remains a family owned operation to this day; a testament of their dedication to the coffee making art. Their central Auckland espresso bar up Symonds Street is one of our old go-to favourites that makes a good all-in-one stop, especially with the yummy foods from the blackboard menu that you can accompany one of Auckland's best coffees with.

If there's one thing we don't usually bother with, it's going to Ben Espresso Cafe any time between 7:30am - 9:00am during weekdays. If you thought a Big Day Out concert was suffocating enough, it's only because you haven't yet tried coming in to Ben's during the morning rush and attempted wrestling with the Auckland CBD suits for your caffeine shot. The sheer body count in Ben Espresso Cafe every morning and hardcore loyalists that would swear by Ben's coffees is testament enough to the strength and boldness of Ben Boyle's Barista Empire coffees.

A boutique roastery that was once based in Epsom, Auckland, Espresso Workshop has come a long way from its early years in the late noughties, and a second branch had just only opened in the recently revamped Britomart precinct. With Espresso Workshop baristas having won the Auckland regional barista championships every year since 2009, it would be blasphemous to leave them out of a Best Coffee Houses in Auckland list. From the signature milk and non-milk based coffee bean blends to the single origins that they offer, Espresso Workshop's beautifully kitted cafe in Parnell - complete with the heady aromas of roasting beans - will captivate the coffee lover.

Initially meant only to be a pop-up cafe in an unused unit round a lonely corner in the Auckland CBD, Federal & Wolfe was so well received that the cafe had since become a permanent addition in the city. We couldn't be happier, too, for the addition of Federal & Wolfe is a welcome one to the cafe-barren landscape of the Auckland central city. Having resident barista Lili Scott snag Best Coffee Establishment/Barista award in the recent Lewisham Foundation Awards 2011 also goes to prove what most Auckland locals have come to know - that Federal & Wolfe serves up some of the smoothest Kokako Organic Coffees in town.

The aptly named Little b Espresso Bar accompanies fellow Barista Empire cafe, Ben Espresso Cafe in our best Auckland coffee listings because Little b operates almost as a separate entity to its bigger brother. For starters, they're both named differently and have different resident baristas. Like most other coffee specialists in town, Matt will be able to guide you through their selection of blends and single origin coffees, so whether you're a seasoned caffeine consumer or a newbie in the prolific Auckland coffee scene, you'll be sure to enjoy your time at this intimate fit-out.

The popularity of Shaky Isles had multiplied from its already high level of popularity since the opening of its second branch in the Britomart precinct, but we're doing tribute to their original flagship branch in Kingsland, Auckland as the suburb's coffee representative. Serving up some of the most amazing espresso based Caffe L'Affare coffees to go with their signature crumpets, this funky Auckland local's coffee is not to be underestimated!